Automatic train-controlling device.



H. L. RIDER.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROLLING DEVICE.

' V APPLIOATION FILED MAR.1,1909. 1,021, 162.

2 BHEBTS-8HBET 1.

] NVEN T OR A At/amey COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN CO. WASHINGTON. D. C,

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

H. L. RIDER.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MALI, 1909.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[NVENTOR Alzomey COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO-IWASHINUTDN, IL C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY L. RIDER, OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY L. RIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oil City, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Train-Controlling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic train controlling devices, such as are used with automatic way-side signals, and has for its object to provide train-actuated means for the automatic applying of the brakes of a train in case the engineer or motorman should disregard a danger signal, and to insure the successful and effective working of said automatic means under all weather conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatically-operated train-controlled brake-applying mechanism which is normally inactive and out of the way of the wheels of a passing train, and which is controlled by the signal system with which it is installed to be moved to operative position by said signal, or which may be used in connection with tracks unprovided with train-controlled signal systems.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the same is hereinafter more fully described in detail, such description being given with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical embodiment of the invention as the same has been practiced, and in the detailed description like characters of reference will be employed to indicate like parts throughout the different views in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the track-stop device showing its arrangement in connection with one of the track rails, and also illustrating the circuit for the controlling magnet of said device. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the track-instrument showing the tripping element thereof in operative position, and also showing the manner in which the traincarried lever engages the tripping-element. Fig. 3 is a detached detail view of a part of the track-instrument, including the tripping-element. Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the manner in which the trippingelement is moved when engaged by the wheels of a train, when over-running a stop signal. Fig. 5 is a detail view in side elevation of a part of the vertically- Serial No. 480,506.

movable rod or stem of the track-instrument. Figs. (3 and 7 are detail views partly in section and side elevation respectively of a part of the track-instrument illustrating a modified form 01' variation ofconstruction.

The circuit wires 20 and 21. extending from the relay 26, see Fig. 1, which controls the operation of my improved track instrument in a manner hereinafter described, may extend to or connect with one of the above mentioned signal circuits in such manner that when the signal circuit is opened by the corresponding track relay becoming deenergized the circuit of relay 26 is also opened so that it, likewise, is deenergized. \Vhen thus deenergized it releases its armature 27 and thus opens a normally closed circuit including a battery 25 Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

which supplies current to the magnet 29 hereinafter described.

I will now describe in detail the track-instrument or track-device. It is well understood that any device located in the track, and adapted to be operated by the train passing over the same to apply the airbrakes is necessarily required to be of such a nature as to meet all weather conditions, and itis also understood that such device must be so arranged that the same will not obstructingly contact with any part of the equipment of the road. My track device has therefore been designed with the end in view of successfully meeting all such requirements, and providing a device in which positive and effective operation is insured. In practical operation, it is desirable of course to locate the part carried by the engine or other part of the train which is to engage with the tripping-device located in the track, at a point which will be convenient for the engineer or motorman to have access thereto, after the speed of the train has been reduced to the minimum required. However, in order that successful operation of the track-device be insured under all weather conditions, it is necessary that means be provided for clearing away ice, snow or other elements which might interfere with the operation of the device. To provide for this requirement, I locate the track-device outside but close to one of the rails of the track, where the tripping-element thereof, when in operative position, will be engaged by the wheels of the engine so as to clear away all ice, snow, or other matter which might interfere with the proper working of the device. It is to be understood, however, in this connection, that while the tripping-element of the track-device is, as above stated, adapted, when in operative position, to be engaged by the wheels of the engine, such engagement with the tripping-device does not affect the applying of the brakes, as the device is so constructed and arranged that the aforesaid engagement of the tripping-element by the wheels of the train simply moves the element out of the way of the wheel to allow the latter to pass, and after each wheel of the engine passes over the tripping-element, the latter automatically assumes its position to be engaged by the valve-operating element carried by the engine, such track-device tripping-element being yieldingly mounted in such manner that it will yield for the engine or train wheels, and yet have sufficient rigidity to effect the operation of the element carried by the engine to engage therewith and open the valve to apply the brakes. A practical embodiment of such track-device is herein illustrated. As shown, and as is the case in practice, this device is arranged at one side of the track, outside the rail. It may be mounted in any desired or approved manner. In order however that the same may be protected to as great an extent as possible from the elements, it is pref-- erable to provide a moisture-proof casing or well 28 which may be of concrete or other material, and is arranged in the road-bed at one side of the track. In this casing or well the main body of the track-device is located, as is also the magnet 29 which normally holds the tripping-element of the track-device in the inoperative position. This magnet may be of any type which will meet the requirements demanded of the same such as the solenoid type, and hence it is not shown in detail. It maybe supported by feet resting on the bottom of the casing 28 as shown, or in any other desired or approved manner. It is generally the practice when such magnets are used underground to incase the same.

In the present description I have shown and described the tripping element of the track instrument as held in an inactive position by a magnet, but it will be evident that any other suitable power actuated means serving the equivalent function may be employed as may be required by existing conditions when installing the track instrument.

The tripping-device or instrument, or track-stop as it is sometimes technically termed, embodies a shell or cylinder 30 open at its upper end, and with its lower end also open, except for an interior annular-flange 31, the purpose of which will presently appear. Mounted to move vertically in this shell or cylinder 30, is a hollow plunger 32,

the lower end of which is formed at oppo site sides with lips 33, apertured to receive a connecting bolt 34, by means of which the plunger is connected to the stem 35 of the magnet 29. The circuit wires 24 leading to this magnet may be led out from the casing 28 in any approved manner as will be readily understood. The cylinder or shell may be supported in any approved or desired manner, as by lugs 28 resting on two adjacent cross-ties.

The hollow plunger 32 is shouldered intermediate its ends as at 36, and arranged around the plunger between this shoulder 36 and a washer 36 on the annular-flange 31 at the lower end of the cylinder or shell 30, is a stiff coil spring 37. The tension of this spring 37 is regulated by screws 37 passing through the flange 31 to engage the washer 36. At its upper end, the hollow plunger is provided with what may be termed bearing-blocks 38 in which is received a shaft 39 held in position by strapbearings 40 secured to the bearing-blocks 38. This shaft 39, at the end adjacent the rail 41 is provided with the angular-portion 42 constituting the tripping-element to be en gaged by the wheels of the engine or train, and to also be engaged by the element carried by the engine or trainfor opening the valve to apply the brakes as heretofore stated. This tripping-element 42, in the construction shown in Fig. 2, has a head 43, which as will be observed, projects above the tread of the rail 41, and is therefore in position to be engaged by the wheels of a train, when the tripping-element is in operative position. In order that when the wheels of the engine or train engage this head the same will be moved in the same direction the train is moving, and thus allow the wheels to clear the same, it is preferable that the head be provided on oppo- To this end, the shaft 39 carries a cam 44,

the lower face of which engages the upper face of an abutment-block 45 carried on the upper face of a stem or rod 46 which telescopes the hollow plunger 32; the abutmentblock 45, it will be observed is provided on the abutting face with a semi circular groove 48, toireceive the shaft 39. The upper end of the stem or rod 46 ,projects upwardly through the block 45 centrally of the groove 48, and projects a slight distance above the upper face of said block 45 so as to form a stop 49 for the cam 44, and thus prevent the shaft 39 from being thrown far enough to move the end of the cam 44 past the center, and thereby prevent the spring acting to return the parts to normal position after being actuated by the wheels of a train. The shaft 39 has a recess 47 therein to receive the stop 49. The rod or stem 46 passes downwardly within the hollow plunger 32 through a nut 50 threaded into the hollow plunger as at 51, and surrounding 'said rod or stem 46 between said nut and the abutment block 45 is a coil spring 52, which as will be readily perceived, acts to return the tripping-element 42 to normal position, after each actuation of such element by the wheels of a train.

I have not shown in detail, in this application, the valve mechanism carried by the engine through the medium of which the air is exhausted to apply the brakes, as a complete illustration and description of a practical embodiment of such valve is shown and described in my prior Patent #870,466, granted to me Nov. 5, 1907, and reference may be had to that patent for such device. Not deeming it necessary to duplicate such showing in this application, I have shown the valve 52 in this case but conventionally, the stem 53 of such valve, as in my former patent referred to, extending into a bulb 54, in which is pivoted a lever 55, provided with a rounded or semi-circular head 56 which bears against a similar head 57 on the lower end of the stem or rod 53, the bulb 54 being supported in any desired manner either from the casing of the valve 52, or from some other convenient support. The valve casing 52 is connected to the train line 58, so that when the device is operated, air will be exhausted from the train line to apply the brakes, in the same manner as though such application of the brakes was made by the engineer.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have illustrated a slight modification in the track-instrument or device, in which I provide the trippingelement of a type having a vertical movement only, instead of having both a vertical and a rocking movement as in the type shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this construction I mount the tripping-element 43 on a plate 44' and secure the said plate fixedly upon the upper end of the plunger 32. In this construction, when the wheels of an engine or train engage the rounded faces of the tripping-element 43, the plunger will be depressed, and immediately upon each wheel passing out of engagement with the tripping-element, the spring 37 will elevate the plunger so as to bring the trippingelement into position where it will be engaged by the lever 55 to apply the brakes.

Since the track-instrument circuit 24 is a normally closed one, it is obvious that the magnet 29 is normally energized, and that this draws the hollow plunger downwardly in the shell or cylinder 30, so that ordinarily, the tripping-element 42 is held in such position that the head 43 thereof is out of the way of the wheels of a train. In this depressed or inactive position of the trippingelement, the spring 37 is under compression. \Vhen, however, owing to the presence of a train in any block or section, the corresponding signal has been moved to the danger or stop position, the magnet 29 is deenergized and the spring 37 immediately elevates plunger 32, causing the tripping-element 43 to be projected into operative position as shown in Fig. 3. The tripping-element in this position will be engaged by the engine wheels of a following train, and the shaft 39 will be rocked so that cam 44 will depress rod or stem 46, the spring 52 returning the tripping-element to operative posit-ion after the passage of each wheel. Vhile the spring 52 will readily compress under the weight of the train, it is of sufficient strength so that it will hold the tripping-element against rocking movement when engaged by lever 55, and the latter will be moved to open the valve and exhaust'air from the train line, and automatically apply the brakes. Thus a train, the engineer of which has failed to observe or obey the danger signal, is automatically brought to a stop and thereby prevented absolutely from colliding with the train ahead.

It will of course, be understood that where no signal system is employed, my track instrument may be used to stop trains at any desired point whatever, the controlling wires 20. 21, in this case, extending to a manually operated switch located at any suitable place. Also, my invention may be employed in connection with manually operated signals, and in this instance, the controlling wires will be connected with a circuit interrupter arranged to be moved with the signals.

The providing of a track instrument of such a nature as will insure all ice, snow or other elements being cut or cleared away by the wheels of the engine which are in advance of the train-carried lever, previous to the track-instrument tripping-element engaging with the train-carried lever, reduces to a minimum the possibility of the track instrument being out of order, rendering the system as sure of operation under all conditions as'is possible.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In means for automatically applying the air brakes of a train, a track-instrument comprising a cylinder, at plunger arranged in said cylinder, a shaft journaled in the upper &

end of said plunger and carrying a trippingmeans arranged within the cylinder and acting against said plunger to move the tripping element to Operative position when the plunger is released.

2. In means for automatically applying the air brakes of a train, a track-instrument located adjacent one of the rails of a track and embodying a vertically movable plunger, a shaft journaled in the upper end of said plunger and carrying a tripping element adapted when in operative position to project above the said track-rail, a controlling magnet and a normally closed circuit operating to maintain said plunger and tripping element normally in an inoperative position, means controlled by train movements for opening said circuit and deenergizing the controlling magnet, and means whereby when said governing magnet is deenergized the plunger and tripping element are automatically elevated to project the tripping element above said track-rail.

3. In means for automatically applying the air brakes of a train, the combination with air exhaust mechanism carried by the train, of a track-instrument arranged in the track for actuating said air exhaust mechanism, said track-instrument embodying a cylinder, a plunger movable vertically therein, a tripping element carried by the upper end of said plunger and having a rocking movement, means for normally holding the tripping element out of the way of a passing train, and means for moving the tripping element to operative position immediately upon its being released.

4. A track-instrument mechanism for antomatically applying the air brakes of a train comprising a cylinder, a plunger movable vertically in said cylinder, a tripping element carried by said plunger, means for normally holding the plunger retracted and the tripping element in an inoperative position, and means whereby when released the plunger is elevated in its cylinder and the tripping element moved to operative position.

5. A track-instrument mechanism for automatically applying the brakes of a train comprising a cylinder, a plunger mounted to move within said cylinder, a shaft carried by said plunger, and having partial rotary movement therein, a tripping element carried by the shaft, said tripping element when in operative position projecting above and close to one rail of the track in position to be engaged by the wheels of a passing train, and means whereby said tripping element after being moved by the wheels of a passing train is automatically returned to its operative position.

6. A track-instrument mechanism for use in connection with the automatic applying of the air brakes of a train, comprising a vertically movable member located adjacent a track-rail, a rocking tripping element carried thereby and adapted to be engaged by the wheels of a passing train, and means whereby said tripping element is returned to normal position after each engagement thereof and rocking movement imparted thereto by the wheels of a passing train.

7. A track-instrument mechanism for automatically applying the air brakes of a train comprising a cylinder, a plunger movable vertically therein, a rocking shaft carried by said plunger and having a tripping element, a cam carried by said shaft, a rod or stem arranged in the plunger and having an abutment block engaged by said cam when rocking movement is imparted to the shaft, and a spring on said rod or stem for returning the rocking shaft and tripping element to normal position after each act-uation thereof. Y

8. A track-instrument mechanism for automatically applying the air brakes of a train, comprising a vertically movable plunger, a tripping element pivoted thereon, means for normally holding said tripping element out of the way of the wheels of a passing train, means whereby said tripping element when released is automatically projected into position to be engaged by the wheels of a passing train, and means whereby the tripping element after having been moved to operative position is returned to such position after each actuation thereof by the wheels of said moving train.

In testimony whereof I'flfllX my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY L. RIDER.

Witnesses J. D. TRAX, JOHN ARBER'roN.

. Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

